Not sure if this is possible…

For a live project, we are going to use a sequencer to provide some backing tracks, click track, and do some patch changing.  I can get the sequencer to change patches on the XS, but is there a way, if I am in song mode, to have the sequencer change the midi channel such that my sounds change based on what is on each of the 16 midi channels?  I am shooting for a way to automate as much as possible all the sound changes.

Thanks

Steve

Just to clarify...I want the sequencer to do the “button pressing” that determines which sound is being played in song mode so I can keep both hands on the keyboard.

Steve

I’m still not certain what you’re asking for. Do you expect a sequence to be playing ("backing tracks, click track,") while this selection of sounds is happening in Song mode, or are these separate events?

If separate, can you manage with 15 rather than 16 Voices?

Do you need any layering or splitting while in Song mode?

5pinDIN - 22 July 2015 08:21 PM

I’m still not certain what you’re asking for. Do you expect a sequence to be playing ("backing tracks, click track,") while this selection of sounds is happening in Song mode, or are these separate events?

If separate, can you manage with 15 rather than 16 Voices?

Do you need any layering or splitting while in Song mode?

The sequencer will be running clicks and backing tracks too (outputting via a midi interface).  One of the midi outs will go to the XS.  The set up works fine to do changes of voices, songs, or performances.  But when I have a particular setup for a tune that is in Song Mode, just wondering if the sequencer can select which midi channel the xs is addressing internally. 

Perhaps an example will help.

I have a tune that I play using song mode.  Midi Ch 1 is piano, CH 2 is organ, and ch 3 is strings.  I really like song mode for this tune because I can let the sounds linger as I change (unlike just changing voices, which produces a gap).

So, manually, I am mashing the 1,2,and 3 button to select which midi channel I am addressing and, thus, which sound comes out.  I’d like to avoid that as it is sometimes less than ideal to take my hands off the keyboard.

I don’t have much faith that this is possible given how I’ve described my setup, but there’s a lot of experience and brainpower on this forum, so i just wanted to be sure.

Steve

katsikas - 22 July 2015 08:48 PM

The sequencer will be running clicks and backing tracks too (outputting via a midi interface).  One of the midi outs will go to the XS.  The set up works fine to do changes of voices, songs, or performances.  But when I have a particular setup for a tune that is in Song Mode, just wondering if the sequencer can select which midi channel the xs is addressing internally.

Perhaps an example will help.

I have a tune that I play using song mode.  Midi Ch 1 is piano, CH 2 is organ, and ch 3 is strings.  I really like song mode for this tune because I can let the sounds linger as I change (unlike just changing voices, which produces a gap).

So, manually, I am mashing the 1,2,and 3 button to select which midi channel I am addressing and, thus, which sound comes out.  I’d like to avoid that as it is sometimes less than ideal to take my hands off the keyboard.

I’m going to take that to mean the clicks and backing tracks will be coming from sources other than the XS when it’s in Song mode. Assuming that’s correct, there is indeed a way to do what you want, if your sequencer can send some SysEx.

By default, Part 1 is set to Receive Channel 1, Part 2 to Channel 2, etc. The trick is to change the Receive Channel for the Parts via SysEx.

Start by editing your Song Mixing, moving each Part up by one. In your example, piano would become Part 2, organ Part 3, and strings Part 4. Part 1 can have any Voice assignment (the default piano is OK), but set its Receive Channel to “off”. When the Song is selected, with button [1] lit, playing the keyboard will initially result in no sound, since the Receive Channel is off.

The basic message is of the form…
F0 43 1n 7F 03 37 pp 04 dd F7
...where:
n = device number, 0~F, typically 0
pp = Part number, 1~16, 00~0F
dd = data, Receive Channel, 1~16, 00~0F

Let’s say you want to play the piano, which had been moved to Part 2. If you send this…
F0 43 10 7F 03 37 01 04 00 F7
...Part 2 (the piano) will be changed to Receive Channel 1, and you can play it from the keyboard.

Now let’s say you want to play the organ, which is Part 3. If we just set its Receive Channel to 1, the piano will be layered with it, because the piano is still set for Receive Channel 1. So first the piano’s Receive Channel should be moved back to 2, and then the organ’s Receive Channel can be set to 1, like this…
F0 43 10 7F 03 37 01 04 01 F7 (piano back to Receive Channel 2)
F0 43 10 7F 03 37 02 04 00 F7 (organ set to Receive Channel 1)

That’s the general idea. It’s certainly not as obvious as pushing the numbered buttons, but it does automate the process. I verified the operation on my XF (my XS isn’t connected at the moment) using MIDI-OX to send the messages. (The above messages have the correct model ID for the XS.) The Voices don’t get cut off, so it works just like manual selection with the buttons.

 

katsikas -

I don’t have much faith that this is possible given how I’ve described my setup, but there’s a lot of experience and brainpower on this forum, so i just wanted to be sure.

Hmmm…  :-)

That’s brilliant!  I just couldn’t conceptualize my “problem” correctly as I was focused on “how do I tell the machine to press a button for me”.  Good outside-the-box thinking here 5pinDin!

Steve

katsikas - 23 July 2015 07:47 AM

That’s brilliant!  I just couldn’t conceptualize my “problem” correctly as I was focused on “how do I tell the machine to press a button for me”.  Good outside-the-box thinking here 5pinDin!

Steve

Thanks.

I’m a proponent of “outside-the-box thinking”.  :-)